It is back to school season, and we are excited to welcome both new and returning students! Throughout the summer, our principals, teachers and maintenance teams have been hard at work preparing our campuses for the first day of school on Aug. 10.
This summer, we also received the results of the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking exams (FAST), state End-of-Course exams (EOC) and state’s annual school grades. Public education in Florida is held to some of the highest standards and levels of accountability in the nation. Once again, St. Johns County School District led the state in academic performance with an overall score of 910 across all grade categories-an increase from 882 last year. In addition, 40 of our schools earned an “A” grade, five earned a “B” and one earned a “C”. Since school district grades were first issued in 2004, St. Johns County School District has maintained its distinction as an A-rated school district — one of only two school districts in Florida to achieve this level of excellence consistently every year.
Our schools in District 4 performed very well and were among the highest performing traditional public schools in the state of Florida. Each of the International Baccalaureate Program (IB) Diploma candidates at Allen D. Nease High School earned their IB Diploma. At Ponte Vedra High School, 3,226 Advanced Placement exams were administered with an 85% passage rate. These results continue to attract highly competitive colleges to our community.
While statewide rankings are certainly something to celebrate, the most meaningful measure of success is in the measured learning growth demonstrated by our students. These learning gains reflect the dedication and partnership of our students, teachers, staff, families and volunteers. Although we are proud of these accomplishments, we remain committed to continuous improvement. Our teachers and school leaders will carefully analyze the data, to further personalize instruction and elevate each student’s educational experience. Our goal is to help every student reach their full potential.
It is always exciting to see the energy as schools prepare to start the new school year! Across the school district our principals, educators and staff have been preparing classrooms, creating and refining lesson plans, participating in professional learning and enhancing our school facilities in anticipation of welcoming students.
At Sabal Crest Academy and Magnolia Oaks Academy, our newest K-8 schools, contractors, staff and faculty, are working diligently to ensure each campus provides a warm, welcoming and engaging learning environment for every student. Sabal Crest Academy, located in the Nocatee community, will be led by longtime Ponte Vedra educator and Principal Tiffany Cantwell. The enthusiasm surrounding Sabal Crest Academy is truly contagious, and we look forward to seeing this new school community thrive!
If you have a child that will be joining us as a new student in our school district, please be sure to register them as soon as possible (Enrolling Your Child in School – Student Services at stjohns.k12.fl.us). Early enrollment helps us ensure appropriate staffing and allows schools to be fully prepared to welcome every student on the first day of school.
The strength of a community is reflected in the strength of its public schools. High-performing schools help attract employers, support property values, develop a skilled workforce, contribute to lower crime rates and stronger civic engagement over the long term. Investing in our students and supporting our teachers is an investment in the future of our entire community. We cannot thank the community enough for your support of the referendums to support our schools.
